Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

The concept of the farmer and shopkeeper pulling rifles off pegs on the wall to fight the British has been the typical image of the American minuteman. The fact that he may have had military training and drilled―and that April 19, 1775 was not his first battle―usually goes unmentioned. Winner of the American Revolution Round Table Award, The Minute Men will be of keen interest to those curious about the true history of some of America’s first soldiers.

Special offers and product promotions

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A splendid book....If the true measure of a book is how it stands up over time, then this one is indeed a classic....Galvin has captured the human ingredients of the story, and he portrays them vividly."—Parameters

(Parameters 2007-05-24)

"Far more remarkable than fiction."—Portland Sun-Telegram

(Portland Sun-Telegram 2007-05-24)

"A convincing reinterpretation both of the Minute Men and of the battle which enshrined them as pioneers of American patriotism."—Cullom Davis, Louisville Courier-Journal

Top customer reviews

General Gavin does his usual excellent job of adding depth and dimension to the heroic tales of patriot militiamen in contest with British lobsterbacks in the War of Independence. He does correct some of the "myths" about these "Minute Men," but, in sum, the reader will, as did I, end this very readable work having maintained, and even heightened, his respect for these "embattled farmers" who stood up against the most powerful imperial professional army in the late 18th century world. A necessary read for supporters of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which is, after all, about preserving the people's right to bear arms to the object of organizing, training, and equipping volunteers to serve in militia units.

The Minute Men describes the battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 in detail from both the British and American perspective. His thesis is that contrary to generally accepted myths, "the minute men were not the exception to the rule; on the contrary, they are among the best examples of the importance of military preparedness that the country has provided."

Galvin clearly shows the Americans in April of 1775 were prepared for war. They had trained, formed into companies and regiments, chosen their leaders, and followed those leaders into battle. They weren't farmers who happened to pick up a weapon and fight the military might of the British.

If one loves American history, this is a book that should be read thoroughly.

I had always thought that the term "Minute Men" referred to generic, patriot militia of the American Revolution. I had not realized, before I read this scholarly book, that the Minute Man was a highly trained combat soldier, an elite force amid the larger army of general town militia in New England. And they were, literally, trained to fall in within a minute on the village green, ready with full kit, weapon and ammunition to march to the site of any emergency. When the British troops marched out of Boston in April 1775, they were, in many respects, at a professional disadvantage.

Galvin's well-researched book looks in great detail at the events of those early fights iof Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill but also at the evolution of the tradition of self-defense in 18th century New England colonies; traditions that are still at play today, and much misunderstood by most Americans.

I liked this book. It showed a whole different picture of the lead up to our revolution and that fateful day when it kicked off. It also is a roadmap forward. It isn't the government that is going to save you. It is you and your neighbors deciding enough is enough.

My only drawback is that it was dry during some points. Not as bad as many histories but there was a lot of information which is better than having less.

When George the 3rd decided to impose tyranny upon the American Colonies, one of the many things he did was to begin dismantling the existential threat to his rule: the local militia system. General John Galvin, US Army, Retired, has done a wonderful job of describing not only the Special Forces units of that militia - the Minute Men - but also the first battle of the American Revolution, the 20-mile running ambush called Lexington & Concord.

The self-defense system of the colonial period was composed of two parts: the general militia, which could be considered regular troops, and the Minute Men, a special force of militia ready at a minute's notice and specially trained for rapid response, assault, and communication - much like today's Special Forces. Much of the battle on April 19, 1775 was fought by Minute Men, and it was they who fired the first American shots at the Concord Bridge.

Gen. Galvin spends a few chapters describing the evolution of the minute man concept - a council of war, ready at a minute's warning, with a decentralized command structure and integrated communications system, then proceeds into a detailed description of the battle. Despite their lack of technology, Minute Men were extremely adept at what they trained for, and highly capable - even if their enemy did not think of them as such. This difference in attitude is particularly well described, as Galvin shows not only that it takes training and equipment to be an effective soldier, but attitude as well. The Americans had the attitude of soldiers preparing for war, while the British Redcoats had an attitude of contempt towards their enemy's supposed inferiority.

Fred, of Fred's M14 Stocks, is fond of saying that April 19th, 1775 was the date when "marksmanship met history, and liberty was born". While this is true (the Americans were much better shots than the Redcoats) there were other aspects of the battle that played perfectly into the hands of the Americans. For instance, the British suffered not only from disunited command throughout the day, but also allowed the Americans time to assemble, reinforce, and prepare ambushes. Galvin's description of the battle is extremely detailed, omitting nothing.

For some reason, I wrote a lot of marginalia in this book, something I'm not prone to do. The text lends itself to that, with it's short and succinct chapters, well summarized ending paragraphs, and easy readability. A war college could easily adopt this as a text for a specialized class on tactics, or general study of the battles of the Revolution. If your interests cover either, you should pick this up, for it is well worth your time.